Match ends, Walsall 0, Millwall 3.
WalsallWalsall0MillwallMillwall3
Lee Gregory took his seasonal tally to 17 goals as Millwall inflicted a home defeat on second-placed Walsall.
Both keepers were called on to make good saves before Walsall's Anthony Forde rattled the bar from 20 yards.
Gregory converted Jed Wallace's cross to put the Lions ahead before debutant Mahlon Romeo made it 2-0, beating Liam Roberts after a one-two with Wallace.
Hopes of a Walsall fightback ended when Gregory ran onto Shaun Williams' pass to add Millwall's third.
Millwall's unbeaten run is now up to five games, keeping them sixth in League One, only one point behind fifth-placed Coventry, while Walsall remain second despite their fourth home defeat of the campaign.
The Saddlers had third-choice keeper Roberts making his debut in goal following injuries to Neil Etheridge and his deputy Craig MacGillivray. They then lost top scorer Tom Bradshaw to an early second-half injury,
Walsall head coach Sean O'Driscoll told BBC WM 95.6:
"They're disappointed more with the scoreline than the way we performed. We got caught, I suppose, chasing the game that was always going to be reliant on whoever scored first.
"It was always going to be a second ball game, them getting it forward early to (Steve) Morison and Gregory to play off that.
"For a large part, we did really well, just couldn't quite get a goal - blocks on the line and hitting the post, hitting the bar, but their spirit was really good."
Millwall manager Neil Harris told BBC Radio London:
"Walsall are a really good team, but the league table doesn't lie, especially when you get into February.
"It was a stern test for us and we had to stay in the game at times and we had to dig in, we had to throw our bodies on the line and I thought we did that.
"The youngsters are getting a lot of praise, and rightly so because they're a good group."
Line-ups
Walsall
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 23Roberts
- 3TaylorSubstituted forMorrisat 75'minutes
- 4O'Connor
- 6Downing
- 2Demetriou
- 14Henry
- 7ChambersSubstituted forLalkovicat 76'minutes
- 8Mantom
- 12Forde
- 10Sawyers
- 9BradshawSubstituted forCookat 50'minutes
Substitutes
- 15Lalkovic
- 16Preston
- 18Morris
- 21Cook
- 22Kinsella
- 27Morris
- 30Jezeph
Millwall
Formation 4-4-2
- 13Archer
- 18Ferguson
- 17Webster
- 15Nelson
- 27RomeoBooked at 14mins
- 8Upson
- 26Abdou
- 6Williams
- 25J WallaceSubstituted forMartinat 75'minutes
- 9GregorySubstituted forO'Brienat 88'minutes
- 20MorisonSubstituted forMarquisat 88'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Forde
- 3Martin
- 10Onyedinma
- 14Marquis
- 22O'Brien
- 24Thompson
- 36Wood
- Referee:
- Trevor Kettle
- Attendance:
- 4,843
Match Stats
Home TeamWalsallAway TeamMillwall
- Possession
- Home53%
- Away47%
- Shots
- Home7
- Away8
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away6
- Corners
- Home6
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home9
- Away8
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Walsall 0, Millwall 3.
Post update
Hand ball by Ed Upson (Millwall).
Substitution
Substitution, Millwall. John Marquis replaces Steve Morison.
Substitution
Substitution, Millwall. Aiden O'Brien replaces Lee Gregory.
Post update
Mahlon Romeo (Millwall) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Milan Lalkovic (Walsall).
Post update
Attempt saved. Milan Lalkovic (Walsall) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Goal!
Goal! Walsall 0, Millwall 3. Lee Gregory (Millwall) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Shaun Williams.
Substitution
Substitution, Walsall. Milan Lalkovic replaces Adam Chambers.
Substitution
Substitution, Walsall. Kieron Morris replaces Andy Taylor.
Substitution
Substitution, Millwall. Joe Martin replaces Jed Wallace.
Post update
Foul by Lee Gregory (Millwall).
Post update
James O'Connor (Walsall) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Corner, Walsall. Conceded by Sid Nelson.
Post update
Foul by Lee Gregory (Millwall).
Post update
James O'Connor (Walsall) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Attempt missed. Anthony Forde (Walsall) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high.
Goal!
Goal! Walsall 0, Millwall 2. Mahlon Romeo (Millwall) right footed shot from the right side of the box to the bottom left corner.
Goal!
Goal! Walsall 0, Millwall 1. Lee Gregory (Millwall) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Jed Wallace.
